Wettest December for 11 years in Perth

December rainfall - above average: The city received
18.0 mm of rainfall on 7 days in December, which was the wettest December
since 20.6 mm in 1996. The average for December is 13 mm on about four
days. Historically, December rainfall has ranged from zero in five
Decembers to 80.7 mm in 1951. Last December Perth registered 5.2 mm on two
days.

Mean daily maximum temperature - below average: Perth's
mean daily maximum temperature in December was 27.7°C, making it the lowest
mean daily maximum temperature for December since 23.7°C in 2005. The
average for December is 28.8°C. Last December was a warm 30.4°C. Daily
maxima ranged from a mild 20.1°C on the 6th to a hot 44.2°C on the 26th
(Boxing Day), which was the hottest daily maximum temperature in Perth
for December on record. The previous record being 42.3°C on 31 December
1968.

Mean daily minimum temperature - below average: Perth's
mean daily minimum temperature in December was 15.2°C, compared with the
average of 16.2°C. Last December was 16.4°C. Daily minima ranged from
a cool 7.9°C on the 7th, which was the lowest daily minimum temperature
for December on record, to a warm 21.4°C on the 27th.

December monthly mean temperature and sunshine

Element

2007

Long- term Average

Highest

Year

Lowest

Year

Records Commence

Maximum Temperature (°C)

27.7

28.8

31.7

1931

23.7

2005

1897

Minimum Temperature (°C)

15.2

16.2

19.6

1977

13.9

2005

1897

Sunshine
(hours per day)

10.6

11.7

12.6

2000

8.0

1925

1898

December rainfall and rain days

Element

2007

Long-term Average

Highest

Year

Lowest

Year

Records Commence

Rainfall (mm)

18.0

13

80.7

1951

0.0

5 years

1876

Rain days

7

3.6

14

1913/1944

0

5 years

1876

December daily extremes

Element

2007

Date

Extreme

Date

Records Commence

Highest daily maximum (°C)

44.2

26/12/2007

42.3

31/12/1968

1897

Lowest daily maximum (°C)

20.1

06/12/2007

14.9

17/12/1952

1897

Highest daily minimum (°C)

21.4

27/12/2007

27.1

18/12/1979

1897

Lowest daily minimum (°C)

7.9

07/12/2007

8.4

02/12/2002

1897

Wettest 24 hours to 9am (mm)

5.8

18/12/2007

46.7

09/12/1951

1876

Climate of Perth in January

It is midsummer in Perth in January, and days are generally sunny and
either warm or hot. The low humidity that generally occurs on days of high
temperature makes conditions more tolerable. Sea-breezes that blow across
the coastal plain on most afternoons moderate the temperature. Hot spells,
usually of two or three days, duration, are commonly followed by milder
conditions. On average, January is Perth's driest month with 10 mm of rain
on about two days.

January mean temperatures and sunshine

Element

Average

Highest

Year

Lowest

Year

RecordsCommence

Maximum temperature (°C)

30.3

34.4

1962

26.3

1939

1897

Minimum temperature (°C)

17.6

20.9

1978

15.6

3 years

1897

Sunshine(hours per day)

11.6

12.6

1974

8.3

1920

1898

January and rain days

Element

Average

Highest

Year

Lowest

Year

Records Commence

Rainfall (mm)

10

139.0

2000

0.0

12 years

1876

Rain days

2.4

8

1916/1990

0

12 years

1876

January daily extremes

Element

Highest

Date

Lowest

Date

Records Commence

Maximum temperature (°C)

45.8

31/01/1991

19.7

* Twice

1897

Minimum temperature (°C)

27.8

21/01/1989

8.9

25/01/2001

1897

Rainfall 24 hours to 9am (mm)

104.0

22/01/2000

n/a

n/a

1876

Denotes lowest January maximum temperature on record
has occurred on the following dates: 19 January 1939 and 3 January 2007.

Very hot days in January: On average, Perth can expect
one day when the maximum temperature is 40°C degrees or higher. The
greatest number of such days in January was four in 1961, 1965 and 1968.
The last time Perth recorded such a day in January was on 28 January 2007
when 41.6°C was recorded.

Hot days in January: On average, Perth can expect
eleven days when the maximum temperature is 32°C or higher. The highest
number of such days in January was 24 in 1962, when the record highest
mean maximum temperature for January (34.4°C) was set.

Note: Official Perth observations have been recorded at several
different sites with varying instrumentation over the years, and these
changes can affect the continuity of the climate record. For the current
Mount Lawley site, the most significant changes of this kind relate to
temperature and rain days. For that reason, current mean temperature and
rain-day data quoted here are based only on readings from the Mount Lawley
site, which commenced observations in 1993. Sunshine recordings are from
Perth Airport and for similar reasons current means use only Perth Airport
data, which commenced in 1993.